


A unique gene pool

by kaatjedeee



Series: Agents of Shield: The next generation [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Diana is there too, F/M, She is so adorable, We all love her, a shitload of fluff, pregnant Dousy, some smut endures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25442257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaatjedeee/pseuds/kaatjedeee
Summary: Months have passed since the team returned from their time travels and peace has finally been found: Mack and Elena have bought their own condo away from the Lighthouse, Fitz and Simmons are happy living their lives with their daughter and Daniel and Daisy are starting on the next chapter of their life together as well. When Daisy has her blood analyzed after a mission, she and Daniel realize their life is even going to be more chaotic than ever before: In short, a fluffy fic of a DaisySous pregnancy and how everyone goes on with their lives after finally finding peace.
Relationships: Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie/Yo Yo Rodriguez, Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons, Phil Coulson & Melinda May, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Series: Agents of Shield: The next generation [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1842796
Comments: 44
Kudos: 243





	1. February 2021

**Author's Note:**

> All hugs to the lovely @agentofmarvel084 for Beta'ing!

What had started as a pretty normal day for Jemma Simmons ended in a very unique way.   
“Daisy, this is the fifth mission in three days where you ’accidentally’ forgot your gauntlets in your bunk. You are fully aware of the consequences that come with. Please, take it easy. For the following couple of days, no quaking anymore. Your arms need to heal.”   
For what felt like the umpteenth time that week, Daisy had ended up in medical. She had fractured the bones in her arms this time, from her fingertips up to her collar bone.   
“I’ll run your blood to check if I haven’t missed anything and then I’ll grab your inhibitors.”   
“If you run into Daniel, I’m not here. He’ll kill me if he knows I’m in medical again!” 

Jemma closed the door behind her, trying to suppress a smile. She would never say it out loud, because that was totally jinxing it, but for once in their lives: All was well. Fitz and her were happy with their 3-year-old daughter Diana; Mack and Elena had just bought a property away from the Lighthouse; Daisy and Daniel were officially a couple since four months ago, and even May was making something of her life now, together with LMD Coulson. They had spent the months with having time for each other and rebuilding SHIELD to its definite form, something that made Jemma smile every moment she thought about it. 

In the lab, she ran Daisy her blood for its usual analysis, and while the computer did its work, she looked in one of the cupboards for a new version of Daisy her inhibitors. After going through way too many papers and things she should have thrown away eons ago, she found the improved gauntlets. At the same moment, the computer signaled her that the analysis was done running. 

“No, this can’t be right. This should have shown up in the analysis two days ago.” 

She ran the analysis again, and again. After running the data three times, she knew that the computer was correct. 

“Oh dear. Oh dear.” 

Multiple scenarios ran through Jemma her head right now. She had not encountered situations like these in her career before, but she knew the protocols. She knew how she had to act. 

“Oh, there you are with the handcuffs.” 

Daisy was her usual cheeky self when Jemma got back into the room, but the moment the brunette saw her friend’s distracted face, she knew that something was up.   
“Simmons-“   
“Let’s get your inhibitors on first, shall we? This is an improved version Fitz created not that long ago, they should itch less than the previous pair you had.”   
Daisy put the inhibitors on without too much fuss but kept looking at her friend.   
“You can give it to me now, Jem. What’s wrong?”   
The doctor sat down next to her friend, who was still on the examination table.   
“Daisy, as your doctor… When did you have your last period?”   
“Ehm… You know how hectic these last couple of months have been”, she replied. “Honestly, I don’t really remember.” 

“Then I’m afraid I’ll have to perform an ultrasound”, Jemma answered. “I ran the blood analysis three times and still don’t understand how this didn’t show up before, but according to the blood analysis… Your HCG-levels are elevated, which should mean that you are pregnant.” 

The biochemist had always known that she had a atypical pale skin, but she had never seen anyone who resembled her skin tone as fast as Daisy right now. All color had vanished from her face.   
“You-I… No, you’re making this up. I have an implant, you are definitely making this up”.   
“I wish I was making this up Daisy, but this is not a joke I’m afraid. I ran the test three times, as I did not understand it either, but that is why I want to perform an ultrasound now, just to be sure. If you are indeed pregnant, I’ll have to remove your implant immediately, as it could be hazardous for you and the fetus health.”   
Daisy looked like she could start crying at any moment. There was a part of Simmons that understood where this came from. Where she and Fitz had always been each other’s soul mates, becoming a mother had never been on Daisy her bucketlist, especially with the kind of life she lived.   
“It’s gonna be okay”, Simmons said while she squeezed the inhuman her hand. “We’ll know more in a few minutes.”   
She left the room for a minute to look for the ultrasound device. When she got back, she saw that Daisy had tears in her eyes, muttering to herself “Please let this be a joke, please let this be a joke, please let this be a joke.”  
“Can you pull your t-shirt up for me please?”   
When she put her shirt up, uncovering her belly, Simmons saw Daisy’s hands were shaking, poor thing.  
“The gel might feel a bit cold, but it helps with creating a clearer view.”   
The doctor spreaded some gel on her belly and went over it with the sonogram doppler, looking for whatever could be there. On the screen, she showed Daisy what she was looking for.   
“Here we have your implant, and here…”   
The small form of a fetus stared Daisy straight in the face.   
“From what I can see, you should be around five or six weeks along. Should that be compatible with-“   
“The last time we had sex? Yeah, probably”, Daisy growled, remembering a very kinky night in their room a few weeks ago. She put her hands on her face. Simmons took the device off; cleaning up the gel on Daisy's belly after. When she sat down next to her friend, the inhuman started to sob. Jemma put her arms around her in a tight embrace.   
“What the hell am I supposed to do?! This kid- I’m an inhuman. With my kind of life-“  
“Did you ever discuss the possibilities of this happening with Daniel?”   
“We did speak about... later,” Daisy replied. “He loves kids and explained that this path would have been the way to go in his time, but look at our lives right now! How the hell should this work? What can come from my gene pool and from a time traveler, all mixed in one?! Will the baby even be healthy?!”  
“Fitz and I came out just fine with Diana,” Jemma answered. “It took some time to get used to things, but I couldn’t imagine my life being different.” 

“But you and Fitz- You’re basically the same person! We haven’t even been back for a full year. This-” she gestured around with her hands to indicate the whole situation in the present- “has only just become his new normal. Who am I to mess all of that up with, ’Hey, guess what?’ And what if this pregnancy makes me do weird things, makes me quake out? What about my mom who just sucked the life out of people; what if I screw everything up? How could I be a mom with my history?”  
Daisy’s rambling began to lean towards a hysterical tone.

“Daisy, look at me," Jemma calmed her friend down. "Daniel and you, do you love each other?”   
Daisy nodded softly.   
“Do you love him?”   
“Yeah.”   
“Then you shouldn’t worry about other things. We’ll work it out. Don’t you think I haven’t been planning for the possible scenario of Mack and YoYo ever getting kids?”   
Daisy was silent for a minute. There she had a point.   
“I’ve seen how Daniel looks at you, cares for you. I fully understand some things might be difficult, but I’m sure he’ll support you through all of it.”   
A tiny smile appeared on Daisy's face.   
“You really think so?”  
“Haven’t you noticed how he follows you around like a lost puppy? _Please_ , and people thought _Fitz and I_ were worse.”   
Daisy's smile became a bit bigger. She embraced her friend again.   
“Thanks Jemma. You’re the best.”   
“Talk to him tonight. Come see me tomorrow so we can remove your implant, all right?”   
“I will. Thanks Jem.” 

* * *

That night, Daisy was in bed already when Daniel came home. Or, well… As it seemed no one would be going anywhere for a while, they had changed neighbouring rooms in the lighthouse to small apartments, so everyone could have their own space, away from the others. Today, Daisy had been on mission to god knows where while Daniel had been in recruitment meetings in DC.   
“Hey, how was your day?” When he went to change in their bedroom, he spotted that Daisy was in bed already in her pajamas, looking bone tired.   
“Those meetings are one thing I don’t miss from before: In ’55 I used to be stuck in them. Why do you have your inhibitors on?”   
Since they were together, Daisy had explained her entire backstory to him, including the use of her inhibitors. If she had those on, he knew that something was definitely off.   
“Get in something comfortable.”   
“Daisy-“ He hung his tie over a neighbouring chair. “You’re not answering my question.”   
“ I think we should talk.”   
“Everything okay? Did something go wrong during your mission today? Did you get hurt-“ 

She rolled her eyes. “I get hurt all the time, you know that.” 

“Daisy, that’s not funny.”   
“I know, I know. Get into something comfortable, okay? I don’t want to have this conversation when you are still in your suit.”   
Quickly, Daniel changed into a SHIELD issued t-shirt and sweatpants, something he often used to sleep.   
“Okay, I’m changed now. What’s going on?”   
“Please, sit.”   
“Daisy, you’re scaring me. What happened?”   
“If you really want to know, I overquaked a little the last couple of days, so that explains these things”, she explained, while pointing to her inhibitors, “but Simmons found something in my blood I think we should discuss.” “What… What did she find?”   
“I’m pregnant.”   
“Wait- You’re pregnant?”   
“Simmons ran the bloodwork three times and even did an ultrasound to confirm it-“   
Daniel kissed her with so much passion she dropped back on the bed.   
“So- We’re really pregnant? It’s not how I’ve expected it to go, but- For real?”   
“I take you’re happy?”   
He kissed her again and took her in his arms while they laid on the bed.   
“It makes me grateful for the day you sat in my office in area 51 and pretended to be a CIA agent. There was a time I thought this life was never meant for me, and that if I even ran into someone, it would never last. Since the day I met you, Daisy Johnson, I got everything I could possibly want.”   
He kissed her again.   
“I love you. You’re amazing.”   
“But… Are you sure we can do this?”   
“We met through time travel. I’m pretty sure that if there’s anyone who can make this work, it’s the two of us.”

  
  



	2. March 2021

“Daisy, why is all your clothing on the floor?”    
“Because I literally have nothing to wear.”    
When Daisy had gotten back from her morning workout in the gym -no sparring, take it easy, doctor’s orders; she had thrown all her clothes on the ground, waking Daniel up.    
“There is a lot that doesn’t fit me anymore and I don’t usually wear loose clothing- The moment people are starting to notice my behaviour is changing, they’ll know something is up. I’ve been barely able to hide all the puking.”    
“You know that we could also just start telling people, right? Everyone is asking why you suddenly took on desk duty. They must be suspecting something; We live with fellow spies after all.”   
"I'm refusing  _ that _ until I am at least 12 weeks along. Daniel, we talked about this."  
Daniel sighed and dropped back in the pillows. There it was again. The evolution of parenthood in the 21st century. This was definitely not the moment to mention Jemma had brought him up to speed with everything. She had also needed to reassure him at least five times that mortality rates amongst pregnant women had dropped significantly compared to 1955. He still remembered the guys who came into the SSR office looking like absolute crap: Their kids were there, but their wives… Not so much. 

"You need me to help me look?"

"Nope, because I just found the perfect baggy sweater."

She quickly changed into a sweater and jeans, put her clothes back in the cupboard and kissed Daniel on the cheek.  
"I still have some research to do. Enjoy your morning in bed."   
“You know this should be the other way around right?”   
He rolled with his eyes at her, dropping back in the pillows. Daisy was leaving the apartment, when she was immediately greeted by May, who had been waiting at their building's door, arms crossed.  
"Uhm, Morning."  
"Morning."  
Daisy wanted to walk to the control room, but May didn't flinch.  
"What's up?"  
"Don't you have something to tell me?"  
An uncomfortable feeling ran down Daisy's spine. Oh oh.  
"Eh.. What are you talking about?"  
A sigh.

"Cut the crap Daisy. You're staying home from missions, you're suddenly on desk duty, a few weeks ago you were sick all the time and honestly, you look like you would rather want to be in bed then anywhere else. You might be able to keep this from others, but not from me."

When she couldn't meet her eyes, the older woman's face softened up. "How far along are you?"   
Crap. Crap, crap, crap. 

“I… Okay I was considering lying to you, but that never works out. According to Jemma I should be around 10 weeks, but you cannot tell anyone. We want to wait until I’m 12 weeks along so we know we’re out of the woods.”    
“C’me here. I’m happy for you.”    
May gave Daisy a tight, motherly hug.    
“How’s Daniel handling all of it?”    
“He basically wants to tie me down to the bed so I don’t do anything stupid. He’s super happy about it, while I just…”    
“You still can’t believe that all of this is happening?”    
Daisy nodded.    
“The two of you can do it. After everything we’ve been through, this is nothing.”    
Daisy gave May a soft smile. While they walked into the common room, where Daisy had some of her research files stashed, she stress texted Daniel.    
_ We have a problem. May knows.  _ _   
_ She had to wait a few minutes on the reply. He still wasn’t really used to texting on a smartphone.    
_ What do you wanna do? _ _   
_ Daisy knew what the logical choice would be here. If May already had her suspicions, big chance the others had as well.    
_ We should tell them. Meet me in the common room? Don’t wanna do this on my own. _

Mack and Fitz were playing on the Xbox while May was giving instructions to some agents Daisy didn’t know. She continued to stare at the files on the table while others passed through. A bit later, Daniel walked in, talking to some agents about recruitment and protocols. Elena looked like she had just come from the gym and had grabbed a bowl of cereal.   
Daisy sighed, and stood up from her spot at the table.    
“Guys.”    
All eyes were on her. Daniel moved closer to her and stood eventually next to her.    
“I’m pretty sure there is a pot for a bet going on, so I’m just gonna bring it out in the open.” 

Daniel squeezed her hand. 

“We’re having a kid.” 

“YES, I KNEW IT!” Elena yelled. “Pay up Mack, you owe me 20 bucks!” 

May was the first one to embrace both Daniel and Daisy. 

“Congrats. Both of you. You’ll be amazing parents.”    
Next in line was Mack, who almost broke Daisy into two.    
“You, not going on missions- I thought you were sick.”    
“Haha, luckily for you it’s a sickness I don’t really mind having.”    
Her stomach said otherwise.    
“I’m proud of you, tremors.”    
“Thanks, big guy.”    
In a wave of people, everyone passed by to give them their congratulations. Daisy had to admit she felt way better now they had this out of the way. She knew she had to swing by Jemma this afternoon for her pregnancy approved dietary plan and other do's and don’ts. When her stomach started to get upset again, she ran for the nearest bathroom, leaving Daniel to deal with everyone else. While she was in the bathroom stall puking her guts out, she heard someone come in.    
“Daisy, you all right?”    
Jemma.    
“Just… Puking my guts out.”    
Her morning sickness had gotten a little bit better compared to a few weeks ago, but that was all that could be said about it. She moaned when the puking finally stopped and pushed the door open a little.    
“Hey.”    
“I noticed you finally decided to spill the tea to everyone?”    
“May figured it out.”  
“Ah, May, ever the top agent.”   
She offered Daisy a hand, helping her to get up.    
“You feeling better now?”    
“A little. Not having to keep this from everyone is surely a big help.”    
“If I may give you some advice, try to enjoy it for as long as it lasts. When they get to Diana's age, you’ll miss having them so close to you.” 

Daisy hugged her friend. 

“Thanks Jem. I wouldn’t know what to do without you.” 

“Oh please,” Simmons laughed. “I fully blame science.” 

* * *

When Daniel saw Daisy run out of the room, he assumed it was probably her morning sickness again. He didn’t get long to think about going after her, because he was getting pat on the back by Mack.    
“Congrats man. If there’s anyone who deserves this, it’s the two of you.”   
“Yeah, you’ll do great”, Fitz added. “But how are you holding up amongst all of this? It’s not nothing, ending up here in 2020, just getting used to everything and then having a kid on the way.” 

“I’ll just add it to the list of getting used to in this life,” Daniel grinned. “ Had this been the fifties, this would have been totally her department.”    
The two men kept staring at him. Daniel rolled with his eyes.    
“Why am I beating around the bush, it’s Daisy. Every moment she sets foot outside our apartment, I think that she’s gonna do something that makes her drop dead. If we’re even gonna get through this, I’m a guy who traveled 70 years into the future and she’s an inhuman. What a perfect couple of soon to be parents.”    
Daniel wasn’t usually the one who rambled about things, but right now, he could not help himself.    
“Sousa my man,” Mack laughed, “Ask Turbo here what he did when Simmons was pregnant with their kid. For real, ask him.”   
Fitz made a face. 

“I made a tracker without telling Jemma. Multiple, actually. Supposed to be totally undetectable. In her bag, her shoe, her ponytail. When she found out I tracked her every move… Well, let's just say that I'm never risking my marriage like that ever again.”    
Mack continued laughing.    
“For real, if you ask me, the guys who are completely cool during all of this are the ones with problems. You having doubts and feelings about this is simply what makes you human. It also means that it's incredibly important to you, so don't beat yourself up too much.”    
Somewhere, Daniel found it a comfort to hear he wasn’t crazy.    
“If you need anyone to talk about this, we’ll be there for you every step of the way,” Fitz told him. “We’ll all be in the same boat eventually.”    
“Thanks… Both of you,” Daniel replied. “It means a lot.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THAT DOUSY IN THIS EPISODE, AAAHHHH


	3. April 2021

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My lovely beta'er, you know who you are :) I love you!

Daisy had done some pretty tough things in her life, but she had never known growing a new kid would be one of them. Her morning sickness had passed, but she was chronically fatigued all the time. That’s why she worked out of bed mostly, doing things on her laptop, reading files, or working on arrangements for the baby. Within two weeks, they would move to a lighthouse apartment with the possibility of a connected nursery. They didn’t know yet if they would be having a boy or a girl, but Daisy really didn’t mind. She had made the promise to herself that she would never let her baby experience what happened to her, and she was planning on keeping that promise. 

Finally she had gotten used to becoming a mom, and so had Daniel. They had discussed the differences between parenthood in the fifties and the 21st century, and Daniel had admitted to her that he was glad he could do something for her, like joining her on her appointments with Simmons, helping her to get more comfortable and helping in making arrangements for the baby. Had this been 1955, literally all of that would have been “a women’s job”. He had explained to her that with the delivery, he would have been put in some room with other guys awaiting “his turn” to hear something about Daisy and their kid.  
“Well, here we don’t do that anymore,” she’d replied. “I don’t want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with, but I do know that I want you there, Daniel. I know Jemma will be there, but that’ll be as my doctor more than just my friend, or a sister. I’m still pretty much terrified all the time of this happening and having to push a kid out, but I’m pretty sure that we’re gonna be okay and are not gonna die when you’re there.”   
She had meant it as a joke, because hey, they were SHIELD agents: With their technology and Jemma her skills, dying in childbirth was very difficult, but when she had seen all color vanish from Daniel his face, she knew she’d said something wrong. 

“Dan-”  
“Don’t joke about that. Don’t ever joke about that.”   
He had stood up from his spot on the bed and gone to the other room.   
“Daniel, what did I do wrong?”   
Daisy wasn’t someone who started to cry fast, but the hormones didn’t make it any easier on her. She could see Daniel was trying to maintain his self control, but he was obviously failing.

“Do you have any idea how many guys I’ve seen become widowers because their wives died in childbirth? Do you have any idea how many left the office with a grin and came back a pulpy mess?! I am absolutely terrified I’m going to be one of those guys, Daisy! I can't! I can't lose you!”   
He had sunken down on the couch.   
“Both the scientists Fitz and Simmons had to reassure me multiple times that healthcare has improved so much that the chance is so, so small, but the idea of losing you- Being here without you-”   
He had held his head in his hands, crying. She had walked up to him, sat down on his lap and embraced him, his face pressed against her chest. From that moment on, Daisy had made a mental note to herself that she should do more research into parenthood during his time. He had adapted so easily to her time, now she was the one who had to understand where he came from. She owed him that. 

After their fight about dying during childbirth, they had continued their conversation and Daniel had clarified that he really wanted to be there, because he wasn’t going to let Daisy go through this on her own when she did not have to. In that moment, Daisy fell even more in love with him than she already was. Always there to catch her if she fell. Always trying to prevent her from running into brick walls. 

* * *

“You know, dying in childbirth would actually kinda suck for me, you know that right?” 

They were laying on bed in their current apartment for the last day, as they were moving to their new apartment tomorrow.   
“Are you starting all of this again?” 

Daniel sounded annoyed. She knew he hated to discuss this subject. 

“No, I’m serious. I mean, when I think about all I have been through in life, or what we’ve been through together: We battled aliens, alien robots, I got tortured on multiple occasions, been stuck in a virtual prison, been enslaved by an octopus inhuman: I survived all of that, and it would just suck that having a kid would be the thing taking me from this world.”   
“Actually… I like that you’re saying that.”   
“Oh?”   
Daniel turned towards her and looked her in the eyes.   
“I’ve been thinking since the last time we discussed this subject, and I’ve come to realize something.”   
“Enlighten me, Sherlock.” 

"You are many things, Daisy Johnson. Even though the fact that I will have to learn to live with the fear of losing you, you are a survivor. In your time, everything is possible. I may not always like it, but I'll manage. I'm flexible."

"Oh, you wanna test that theory?"

Before Daniel realized what was happening, she had put her arms around him and kissed him.  
“I can imagine spending our last night in this apartment like this.” 

As her belly wasn’t that big yet, she turned him on his back, ending on top of him. 

“Let me rephrase that: I know exactly how I want to spend our last night in this apartment.”

  
  



	4. May 2021

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daisy and Daniel finally discover if they are going to have a boy or a girl <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual: My dear beta reader @sophiaSoliman4, I owe you everything <3 Friendly warning for some smutty events in this chapter.

“Come’on, you’re gonna love this. Jemma is going to tell us the baby’s sex today. But before we go-”    
“Bathroom again?”    
“Yup.”    
Daniel dropped back on the bed while he waited for his girlfriend. She was 18 weeks along now, which meant she was horny all the time -something he didn’t mind- , spend more time in bed than normal for her doing -something he didn’t mind either - and had developed a weird love for pickles with whipped cream and a hate for cheese. That was something he did mind, only a little bit, because he was often the one tasked to go to the neighbouring city in the middle of the night to get a new stash of pickles.   
Daisy's belly had seriously popped a few weeks ago and Daniel's new hobby was laying his hand on it and checking if he could already feel the baby kick. Every moment he saw her, he could see a glow he hadn’t seen before. He had not been so sure if he could love someone even more than he already did, but apparently, it was possible.    
“I’m done. Ready?”    
Daisy claimed they were about to see their babies face for the first time today. A part within Daniel had been skeptical: What machine could show you your babies face? On the other hand, he had made himself the promise long ago to not be surprised by anything anymore: His girlfriend was part alien. Getting truly surprised anymore had to be impossible.    
“Yeah, commin’.” 

They walked to the medical floor, where Jemma was already waiting for them.   
“Now, before we’re gonna start the ultrasound, I feel obliged to ask if you want to know what the sex is gonna be, because-”   
“Let me guess, there’s another bet going on?”   
Jemma's facial expression said it all, causing Daisy to chuckle.    
“We want to know what we’re gonna get”, Daisy said while looking at Daniel. “Most of all, I want to see his face when you put the 3D function on.”   
The couple exchanged a glare, knowing they were exactly thinking the same thing.   
“Very well then.”   
Jemma started to explain everything they would be seeing during the ultrasound today, while Daisy uncovered her belly. The gel felt a bit cold on her abdomen, but her left hand slid into Daniel’s, squeezing it tightly.    
“Let me find the right angle- Here we go.”    
“Wow.”    
Daniel’s interest was suddenly pulled to the screen.   
“Is that… That is what’s happening- Wow.”    
“That’s nothing yet.”    
When Jemma put on the 3D function, Daisy thought his eyes were gonna roll out of their sockets. On the screen, there was a rough 3D model of their soon to be child. He was staring at it with awe and reverence, clutching her hand and then lifting it up to his lips.   
“That’s- That’s our babies face?”    
Daisy nodded with a smile.    
“Yes, yes it is.”   
“That’s your baby girl,” Jemma smiled.   
Daniel’s mouth did not fall open just yet. Daisy had tears in her eyes.    
“We’re gonna have a baby girl.”    
Daniel bowed to kiss his girlfriend, while a warm sensation found hold in Jemma her chest. She was truly happy for her friends that she got to be a part of their first encounter with their little girl.  
“Now, let’s look at everything else, shall we?”   
Quickly, Jemma took them through the rest of the ultrasound: The growing curve, the development of all limbs, and it all looked splendidly.    
“You can put your t-shirt back down now.”    
She gave Daisy a piece of cloth to clean the gel from her belly, while Jemma put the ultrasound device away. Daniel helped Daisy down from the examination table and kissed her again.    
“We’ll schedule the next ultrasound for somewhere within the next two weeks. I want to keep an eye on possible side effects caused by your inhuman DNA. Remember-”    
“To take it easy, because rest is the best thing for the baby”, Daisy finished Jemma’s sentence. “I know. If you’re not the one reminding me-”   
“Then it’s my job to remind you,” Daniel replied. “Thank you for today, Jemma. We’ll be back in two weeks.”   
Together they left the medical wing, only for Daniel to lift Daisy up in the sky for a minute.  
“We saw our baby for the first time today.”  
“Our baby girl.”   
The dark haired man was unable to hide his grin. Daisy her heart fluttered with joy, seeing him so happy.   
“If you had told me a few months ago that I could love you more than I was already doing- I would have said you were crazy.”    
He put a kiss on her forehead, followed with a kiss on her belly, which made Daisy giggle.   
“Daniel, we’re in the hallway. Everyone can see us.”    
“So? Everyone should be able to see how beautiful you are.”    
She blushed, but her facial expression changed into one of annoyance shortly after.    
“Everything okay?”    
“My back is acting up again.”   
“That means we should get you back home.”    
Hand in hand they walked back to their apartment, passing by YoYo in the hallway. She nodded hello to the couple, and then stooped down a little and greeted Daisy's belly.  
_ “Hola pequeña, ¿cómo estás?”  
_ Yo Yo was also someone who loved to talk to Daisy her belly. Only thing was, she did it in Spanish. Daisy didn’t mind. It made her feel loved. Like they were one family.   
“How was your appointment with Simmons? You guys went to see her today, right?”   
“Yeah, it was fine,” Daniel answered while exchanging glares with Daisy.   
“You guys already know what you’re gonna get?”   
“That’s a surprise,” Daisy answered. YoYo started to laugh.   
“Better know I’ve put my money on another girl joining the family. Deke has put 50 dollars in the pot and I want to win.”   
“You’ll have to wait until the baby is born”, Daisy replied while smirking at her. Yoyo just chuckled and let them go their way. She took Daniel's hand again as they made their way back to their apartment. Now home, Daisy sat down on the couch, moving her shoulders. Daniel could see that the appointment had worn her out.   
“Let me.”   
With a soft touch, he had started to massage her shoulders and upper spine. Daisy moaned in pleasure.   
“I don’t deserve you.”   
“Says the woman who gave me everything I could possibly want.”   
Daisy looked up at her boyfriend, pouting her lips, so she could kiss him. He answered her gesture, but the moment his lips were locked with hers, she refused to let go.   
“I think I’ve found the solution to my back pain.”   
Daniel moved from his position behind the couch to next to his girlfriend. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, continuing where they had left off earlier.   
“I need this.”   
Daniel wasn’t one to turn down a pregnant woman's wishes. She pulled him down next to her on the couch, continuing their kiss. He could feel how her hands went down to his pants, unbuckling his belt. Before he knew what was even happening, he gasped when his girlfriend’s lips embraced his groin.   
“Uh… Daisy, good-”   
He could not help himself and a moan escaped his lips, while Daisy continued pleasuring his cock.   
“Daisy-”   
How much he adored and loved having his girlfriend in this position, he wasn’t one for one sided traffic. He put his hands on her shoulders and gestured to her to stop. She answered his action with a questioning look, this was going damn well if you’d asked her, but when he started to pull on her t-shirt, she understood what his idea was.   
“Much better”, Daniel grinned. Her lips went back to his shaft and a familiar sensation started to take hold of him.   
“Daisy-”  
By the tone in his voice she knew what he tried to say, so she stood up, pulled her skirt down, and turned her buttocks towards him.   
“You naughty girl. Did you go to the appointment without wearing any-”   
“I was in the mood for something fun.”   
He grabbed her by the hips and went with his index- and middle finger through her folds, feeling how soaking wet she was for him. He went with his fingers over her clit, “flicked her bean” as one might have said, but Daisy was having none of that. She wanted action. She wanted it now.   
Daniel growled when he entered her. The sensation of her inside around his cock felt like a warm glove, letting him embrace the touch. She put her head back in ecstasy, but with having her on his lap (he again made a mental note to never tell anyone what passed on this couch), he was in the perfect position to caress her neck, to kiss it, to kiss her. To make love like he had only done a few times in his lifetime. While he kissed her, his hands had gone to her nipples, her breast. He played with them, cherished them. Daisy's breathing started to become more irregular with the minute.   
“Now, fuck me like you mean it.”   
“Yes ma’am.”   
This particular moment was one of the moments he was utterly grateful for the moment Jemma Simmons had given him the bionic leg, a prosthesis that would change his life for the better. With his cock still inside of her, he picked her up by her waistline, right under her breasts, and moved them to the bedroom.   
“Did you just change our scenery?”   
“Sometimes we need to prioritise our ways to perform flawlessly.”   
When they ended up on the bed, Daisy started to ride him like the cowboys had once ridden their horses. He was holding her by her hips, thrusting into her, meeting her every move. She was playing with her nipples in the meantime, loudly moaning, begging him to go deeper, to touch her inner core. He gladly obeyed her command, going deeper, and faster. It didn’t take that long when a familiar sensation started to build in his lower extremities. He knew this was gonna be a big one.   
“I’m close.”  
‘Come together.”   
His fingers brushed her clit, making her crash all around him. When she tightened around his groin, he felt a dam break inside of him, muscles tightening, him groaning her name. Exhausted, she collapsed next to him, soaked in sweat. They were both panting, until Daisy turned on her side, looking at him.   
“You know we should come up with names soon, right?”   
He laughed, loving how she had “casually” changed the subject.    
“How’s your back, actually?”   
“Much better,” she grinned. “I’m happy you’re asking. 

  
  



	5. June 2021

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things just got way more complicated for the couple...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my lovely beta readers :)

Together with the others, Daniel had decided they would put a midnight lock on the refrigerator in the common room, because if not, Daisy would probably finish everything inside. The pregnancy symptoms that came along with being 22 weeks pregnant made the both of them crazy, but Daniel surprisingly managed to maintain his self control: She was full of hormones and growing a new person: She couldn’t help it.   
“It’s all so annoying- It’s like I’m not myself anymore”, Daisy had cried one afternoon. Daniel could relate. She seemed willing to stuff her face with everything edible she could find, was happy one moment and cranky the other one and always needed a casual reminder to take her pregnancy meds.   
“If I get one more pickle in my hands, I swear that I’m gonna be disgusted by it but actually am gonna love it at the same time. That’s not possible, right?” Daniel thought it was best to just agree with her at this point.  
Daisy was doing some work on her computer while she was keeping Jemma company in the lab in an attempt to give Daniel some space for one day. He was willing to do everything for her: Make dinner, massage her feet and ankles when they were swollen and kept following her around, asking if she was okay and if she needed anything.   
Hm. Maybe it wasn’t Daniel who she was giving space today.  
“It’s actually quite normal”, Jemma replied. “When my mom was pregnant with me, she had a love for whipped cream and cheese.”   
As cheese was something Daisy hated since the start of her pregnancy, she had to make an effort in not throwing up. She tried to continue her work, but an unfamiliar sensation in her abdomen pulled her attention away from the data she had been meaning to encrypt.   
“Hmmpf.”   
It felt like a punch in the gut, but from the inside out.   
“Daisy, are you okay?”   
Another punch, and another one. When the floor underneath her started to shake, fear took the better of her. This was her doing, but also not.   
“Jemma… I don’t know what’s happening.”   
“Daisy breathe. Breathe.”   
The shaking had stopped. Daisy was panting like she had been in a fight.   
“Daisy, what just happened?”   
Jemma guided Daisy to one of the examination tables close to them in the lab.  
“I- I’m not sure,” Daisy replied. “It felt like I got punched in the gut and then- I lost control. That hasn’t happened since-”   
“We’ll get to the bottom of it. Let’s get you to the medical floor first, I have more equipment to check you and the baby out there. Are you able to walk?”   
Daisy nodded while she stroked her belly.   
“Ssshh, it’s okay little one. It’s okay.”   
While Jemma guided her to the medical floor, she also started to order some staff around with her Doctor Simmons' voice.   
“You there. I need you to find agent Sousa and tell him very calmly that he is expected on the medical floor. Everything else will get explained to him when he arrives.”   
The assistant went on his way, while not that much later, Jemma and Daisy arrived on the medical floor. Jemma put Daisy in a bed and started on her work up, and not long after, an anxious Daniel Sousa entered the examination room.  
“Daisy, are you alright? What happened? What’s wrong?” 

He pressed a kiss on her right hand and a kiss on her cheek, while Daisy started to explain what had happened in the lab.

“I’ve never lost control like that. Not while I got tortured. Never.” 

Daniel sat down on the edge of the table and held her in an embrace. 

“It’s gonna be okay. You’ll see.” 

* * *

“Oh dear.” 

Daisy had been moved to a bed with a CTG around her waist, while her hand was clenched in Daniel’s. The last time she had lost control about her gift was when she had just gotten her powers, so it was safe to say that she was terrified. Losing control was scary. 

“I’m sorry. With the current knowledge we have about your powers, we should have seen this coming.” 

Jemma turned away from the screen, looking at both Daniel and Daisy. 

“As I don’t have all the variables yet, I can only theorize for now, but if I am correct, we might run into some unpleasant circumstances.” 

The couple exchanged a look. 

“I think that because of your ability to feel vibrations on different frequencies, you are feeling the baby move far more intensely than someone without your powers. In general, we compare the first noticeable kicks with stroking someone’s skin. By the end of pregnancy, kicks from the baby get often described as kickboxing against your organs. What for someone with a normal pregnancy would feel as stroking, is already feeling like kickboxing for you: You skipped that entire part.” 

Daisy swallowed and started to notice a heavy weight around her heart. She didn’t like where this conversation was heading at all. 

“So what just happened is that I felt the baby kick?” 

“Probably, yes,” Jemma replied. 

“There is one thing I can know for certain”, she continued. “There should be enough data for this analysis.” 

She ripped a piece of paper from a device behind the bed and looked at the data it gave her. 

“Your baby moves on a different frequency than you. In combination with your sensitivity for vibrations, this is what probably caused you to lose control. It is your body that is fighting against something that is uncommon: Something that is different. You can compare it to your body fighting a disease.” 

“Is there anything we can do?” Daniel asked. Simmons made a face Daisy had seen all too often. 

“All I can recommend for now is bed rest. Strap her down against the bed if necessary. Don’t look at me like that-” She said while giving Daisy a look. “You know that I’m right. The logical solution to this problem would be getting you and the baby to function on the same frequency. Letting Daisy use her gift for managing that is definitely not an option, so I’ll have to discuss possible solutions with Fitz. Anything else I can recommend is the removal of stress related variables. That means nothing work or inhuman related. It’s a complicated situation, because feeling your baby move means that your baby is healthy.”

Daisy obviously wanted to protest, but Daniel squeezed her hand in a way she knew was meant as a warning. 

_Not now. We’ll discuss this later._

“Bed rest and no stress. We got it.” 

“This also brings me to another matter we should discuss”, Jemma added while she sat down next to the examination table. “There is the possibility of other side effects showing up during your pregnancy, so I want to recommend a C-section at 37 weeks.”

“You… You want to cut the baby out?” Daisy asked hoarsely. 

“The baby will have been carried to term and we will have full control of the environment. C-sections often have the possibility of taking an epidural, so you can be conscious during the delivery, but I’m not so sure that is wise, given your situation. I’d prefer to put you fully under anesthesia.”

“Would you be doing the surgery?” Daisy asked.

“I’ll have some other ob-gyn’s with me to consult, but that surgery won’t happen without my presence. You have my word on that.”

Jemma could see the pain in her friend’s face. She and Daniel had definitely had a lot to talk about.

“I know that the two of you will have a lot to talk about, but I hope you understand that with a normal delivery, anything could happen. You could be in such an immense pain that no anesthetics would work; There even is the chance that you could quake the entire Lighthouse apart. As your friend, I am very sorry. As your doctor, I’ve made my recommendation.” 

She left the couple alone in the examination room, dropping down in a chair in the medical staff room with a big sigh. Things had just gotten way more complicated. 

* * *

After Jemma had left them alone, Daisy noticed the panicked look on Daniel's face. 

“She wants to do _what_?” 

Quickly, Daisy explained the modern version of a c-section to him. Completely safe, sometimes the best choice for mother and baby. She felt terrible this was happening to them, to her. She knew that this situation wouldn’t do anything good for Daniel’s fear of losing her in childbirth. 

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” Daisy said softly. “Usually I would totally protest having to stay in bed, but if I lose control again…” 

Her hands went to her face. 

“Everyone is at risk because of me, because of me finally being happy.” 

Tears started to form in her eyes. Things started to shake again. 

“Daisy, look at me. That’s not true, do you hear me? You have the right to be happy, like everyone else. _We_ have that right.” 

Slowly, the shaking stopped. 

“Tell me what you’re feeling.” 

“Sorry?” 

Daisy turned her head to face Daniel, the sound of the CTG being the only thing to interrupt their silence. 

“You’re a champ in hiding what you’re truly feeling if it’s to protect me, Daniel. I know how scared you are. Please, tell me what you’re feeling and don’t let me feel like I’m the only one being absolutely terrified.” 

Daniel closed his eyes while he kept stroking the back of Daisy’s hand.

God, she looked straight through him. 

“I want you… To be safe. I want you and our baby to be safe and happy and that you get to enjoy all of this because I think you and I will be amazing parents.” 

Her right hand went to the corner of his eye, where a tear had formed. He leaned against her touch, putting his hand over hers.

“I am really trying to ignore the nightmare that I have to become a single dad in an era where no one dresses appropriately and teenage girls wear jeans with more holes in them than actual fabric, but yeah-”

“You still have a thing against ripped jeans?” 

A soft smile appeared on Daniel's face. 

“They’re worse than elephant pants.” 

Daisy kept stroking his cheek. 

“Promise me that whatever happens, you will allow yourself to feel. Promise me, Daniel. I know you like to be my knight in shining armor and you love putting me above everything else, but this is not only happening to me. This is happening to the both of us.” 

He pressed a kiss on the hand she had been caressing his face with. 

“I promise.”

  
  



	6. July 2021

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so loving this story. ONLY TWO CHAPTERS REMAINING UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF THEIR LITTLE SPROUT :D

Nothing seemed to work. Focussing on a book was impossible. Focussing on a file to read only brought the same around.

A sigh escaped Daniel's lips while he looked at the clock in the hall.

No way only 20 minutes had passed. That thing had to be working incorrectly. 

He put the reading material back on the table and stared at the nurses station.

He did not want to be here.

_ "Daniel, Daniel! Sousa, I got it!" _

_ Daniel Sousa had been walking through the hallways of the Lighthouse, on his way to the office for a mission briefing, when Leopold Fitz had caught up to him, panting from the running he had done. _

_ "It took me a while to figure it out, but after discussing it with Jemma, we think we've found a solution to the problem." _

_ "Are you saying what I think you're saying?" _

_ "Drop whatever you're doing and come with me to the lab. Jemma and I will explain it to you there." _

_ Quickly, Daniel texted May that he wasn't going to make the briefing because of personal circumstances. After that, he followed Fitz to the lab, where Jemma was drawing something on a whiteboard. _

_ "Fetal surgery." _

_ "Come again?" _

_ "We found part of the solution concerning Daisy her symptoms, but we need to perform fetal surgery to do it." _

_ When Daniel's facial expression did not change, Simmons realized all of this had to sound like Chinese for him. Fetal surgery was a brand new speciality after all. _

_ "Fetal surgery is a surgery done on a fetus, but while the fetus is still in its mother's womb. To make potential earthquakes weaker and to make Daisy more comfortable, we came up with a device-" _

_ "I came up with a device-" Fitz corrected her. _

_ "And I made the necessary adaptations to it", Simmons replied, "But the device should make Daisy and the baby move in sync with each other. It should make them move on the same frequency." _

_ She showed him some drawings of a small, oval shaped device.  _

_ "The device can be attached to one of the hands of the fetus. When placed back in the uterus, skin will grow over it, so it gets absorbed in the fetal body. After the baby is born, only a small surgery is necessary to remove it." _

_ "So, if I get this right… You want to perform surgery on our baby while it's still inside Daisy? Is that even humanly possible?" _

_ "Ofcourse." _

_ The miracles of the 21st century never seized to amaze Daniel. _

_ "Why are you telling this only to me, and not to Daisy?" _

_ The two scientists exchanged a look. _

_ "You're afraid of her mood swings, aren't you?" _

_ "Yeah totally." _

_ "Absolutely devastated." _

_ "What if she kills us? Or quakes us?" _

_ Daniel rolled with his eyes. _

_ "I'll talk to her." _

Thirty minutes had passed now. How long took surgery in the 21st century? He wished he knew.

"You should not be sitting here alone."

May was looking at him from a small distance.

"Agent May… Hey."

"We've been over this, Sousa. On moments like these, Melinda is enough."

She dropped down next to him on a chair.

"How are you holding up?"

_ "They want to do 'what' exactly?" _

_ "They want to attach a small device that should make you and the baby move on the same frequency to the baby’s hand. During the birth it shouldn't form an issue.” _

_ “And they want to do that through surgery?”  _

_ Daisy tried not to sound worried, but Daniel knew she was. She had made it a habit of stroking with her hand over her belly when she was anxious or nervous.  _

_ “I know that you’ve known them longer than I possibly could, but Fitz and Simmons are truly masters in their craft. Their prosthetics have proven as such.”  _

_ Daisy sighed and moved over on the bed, so she could lay her head in Daniel’s lab, just the same as back in the barn with Malick.  _

_ “I have no idea what we should do.”  _

Simmons had mentioned before that the surgery should not take that long. She had estimated it on the approximate time of 3 hours, with maybe it taking a bit longer. Next to him, May was going through some magazines. 

She had refused to leave when Daniel had told her he would be all right. 

He was happy he wasn’t sitting there on his own. 

“Ah, my shift change.” 

Mack came near them with a deck of cards in his hands and his usual big smile. 

“Mack? What are you-” 

“Daniel, you know Daisy is like a little sister to me. Do you honestly think I would leave you here on your own while she’s in surgery and risk her wrath with that? No man, that’s not cool.” 

While May left the floor, Daniel took on the deck of cards from Mack. 

“What are we playing?” 

_ Daisy was staring at the wall in front of her.  _

_ She did not want to be here, but she didn’t have a choice, did she? _

_ The idea of their little girl being partly taken from her womb, where she was safe and sound, that was scary. She had become used to the kicks and violence going on in her belly and yes they definitely hurt, but they proved their little girl was okay. She had also on occasion caused a local earthquake in the light house now and then, but what did they expect with her being on bedrest for so long?  _

_ “You know that this situation should be the other way round, right?”  _

_ Daisy was grabbed from her thoughts, not knowing what Daniel was talking about.  _

_ “Usually you are the one telling me how amazing this century is with its technology and innovations. I’m not used to being it the other way round.”  _

_ Daisy chuckled. Yeah, usually it went a bit different. She was often the one in the hospital bed, yes, but she was mostly the one being all hyped up about the technology Fitz and Simmons provided them with.  _ _  
_ _ “We’re nervous. We are bazookaing again.”  _

_ She laid his hand on her belly, so he could feel the baby’s movements inside of her. Since she was on bedrest, Daisy had discovered a pattern in the baby’s kicks. What for common human beings felt like nothing was kickboxing for her. A little above that was “bazookaing”, a term Daniel had suddenly found hilarious. The level above that was “going nuclear,” which were movements Daisy was afraid of: They caused involuntarily quaking. _

_ “Ssshh you”, Daniel whispered to Daisy her belly. “Your mom and you are about to have a tiny surgery. She doesn’t need any more drama with that.”  _

_ “She’s totally gonna be a drama queen when she’s here.”  _

_ “We’ll see about that.”  _

Mack and Daniel had just started their third round of cards when the doors to the OR opened up and Fitz came outside. Daniel had thrown his cards away immediately, eager to learn more about how the surgery had gone. 

“It all went splendidly”, Fitz explained. “Jemma has taken her to the recovery floor, so she can take her time to wake up. You should be able to see her within the hour, but she’ll need to rest afterwards.” 

Mack patted Daniel on the back and gave Fitz one of his famous grins. 

“So you’re saying that she’s out of the woods now?” 

“All I’m saying is that from now on, the only occasional quaking Daisy causes will be because of her mood swings, so Daniel, good luck with not pissing off your girlfriend.” 

_ “You should really stop worrying.”  _

_ Daniel had seen the worry in her eyes. Simmons could be with them to take her up at any minute.  _

_ “I know.”  _

_ She kept stroking her belly. _

_ “You know that worrying about the two of you is my job right?”  _

_ “I know. I just… I just wish I could enjoy this a little bit more.”  _

Daniel had asked Simmons when she would give the green light for Daisy to get visitors, which would be after three days, if everything went according to schedule. With the surgery being in the past, he hoped that his girlfriend got to enjoy her pregnancy a little bit more. She had the fullest right of enjoying becoming a parent. She deserved that.

Her room in the med wing was quiet, but she had not woken up yet. A CTG was the only thing one could hear. Its beeping told him their baby was doing just fine. Daniel decided to trust the system for once. They all deserved some little peace and quiet.

_ “Do you wonder sometimes how we’re gonna be as parents?”  _

_ Daisy was laying with her head in Daniel’s lap, while he had his hand on her belly, feeling the baby’s movements.  _

_ “Why are you asking that?” _

_ “I don’t know… I just wonder sometimes. I know that Coulson and May are the closest thing I’ve ever had to parents, but it keeps me wondering how I will be. How we will be.”  _

_ Daniel understood her reasoning. He truly did. But with what they had been through, he always had the same answer while he kissed her on the cheek.  _

_ “With our friends and family, I’m pretty sure we’re gonna be magnificent.”  _

Carefully, Daniel peeked around the corner of the room, noticing that Daisy was staring at him. 

“Hey you.” 

“Hey.” 

“I have a surprise for you.” 

This got Daisy sitting a bit up in bed. 

“Oh?” 

“I’m not going to take the full credit for this because this kind of thing did not exist back in the 40s and 50s so I got some help, but now the device works and you are already feeling a lot better, Simmons gave me the green light for inviting some visitors.” 

When Daniel stepped away, Daisy's mouth fell open wide. One by one, Elena, Bobbi, Jemma, May and little Diana entered the room.

“Surprise baby shower!” 

From his position by the window, Daniel could see perfectly into Daisy her room on the medfloor. He was grateful Simmons had told him about this 21st century concept, because Daisy deserved some time to enjoy herself after everything she’d been through. Seeing her laugh with her friends brought a smile on his face.

“I need you to come with me.”    
“Where to?”    
Fitz had ripped him from his thoughts and put a hand on his shoulder.    
“Jemma had wanted to show you herself, but thought this would be the better moment with Daisy being distracted and everything. Come’on.”    
Fitz turned around. Daniel chose to follow him.

“Where are we going?” 

“Plan C.” 

On the medical floor, Fitz’ entered a code into the code path from the elevator. 

“This has been my project for the last few months, with Jemma her adaptations of course. It’ll probably come in handy, especially when Mack and YoYo are gonna start on having kids.” 

Daniel had no idea what he was talking about. 

“Come On. Get in.”    
He followed Fitz down into the elevator, which seemed to sink only deeper and deeper into the earth. 

“Simmons explained to me that you and Daisy both have your worries. We like to be prepared.” 

When the elevator doors opened, Daniel could only admit that he was impressed. The high walls in the space he had entered seemed to be made from pure concrete. Another room Fitz showed him was almost completely white: White couch, white twin bed, white walls made from adaptable materials. 

“We call it the Xbox. Now the device has been inserted into Daisy, this should be the finishing touch. Comes with a prepped OR for every kind of surgery and some labor and delivery suites. You never know when you’ll be needing one of those, inhuman or not.” 

Daniel didn’t say anything as he did not know where to start: His shock, his nerves, or his relief.

“We’ve done the math and this should even be difficult for Daisy when she is on full power. If this doesn’t help, I’ll be having my shoes for dinner.” 

“Fitz,” Daniel answered, “You are a master in what you do. Howard Stark would be jealous.” 

  
  



	7. This one is for you

Dear readers of "A unique gene pool", 

As I really want to post the birth scene (I hope you guys will be as excited about it as I am!), I decided to put august and september together in one chapter. My inspiration is getting a bit away from me, so I want the upcoming chapter to be candy especially for you: What would you like to see Dousy do in the last weeks of Daisy her pregnancy? Do you want to see them bond over the nursery, do you want them to go out on a little trip? As I know we will never get this in the tv series with only two episodes to go **sob sob** , I want this to be my little gift to you guys. Drop what you would like to see in the comment section below and you will be rewarded with an extra long chapter, _august and september 2021._

Happy readings,

Kaatjedeee


	8. August 2021 + September 2021 (part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had I planned on making this one big chapter? Yes. Did that happen? No. Am I impatient and do I just wanna post real badly? Yes.

It had taken Daisy a while and she was still scared of thinking it, but now she was actually able to say it out loud:   
“I had never thought I could be this happy.”    
Although it had taken her a long time to say these words, she was finally able to admit they were true.  
The nursery in their lighthouse apartment had come out nicely. She could feel the baby getting excited every time she entered it. The best thing of all: No involuntary quaking anymore. Since the surgery two weeks ago, she had finally felt like she could function as a normal human being. Or in her case, as human as an Inhuman could possibly fee l . To start this entire period of bliss, Daniel had organized (probably with the help of Jemma) a surprise baby shower for her. It had been a long time since she had felt that good.

_ “So Daisy, you and a guy from the fifties hm?”   
_ _ Daisy had allowed Diana to join her on the bed while Elena, Bobbi, May and Jemma all had taken seats around them in her hospital room. The women had brought food, presents and games and she immediately realized how much she had missed this.   
_ _ “Wouldn’t have it any other way. You and Hunter still together?”   
_ _ “Yup. Believe it or not-”   
_ _ Bobbi grabbed her phone and showed the group of girls a picture that made everyone “Ooohhh” and “aaahh” about it.  
_ _ ‘Bobbi Morse, how didn’t we know you and Hunter had a kid?”   
_ _ “Hey, you were the ones busy with time travelling!”   
_ _ Laughter. It felt good to see her friends laugh again.   
_ _ “But Daisy, we all need to know,” Elena continued. “How did he react when you had the talk with him?”   
_ _ “What talk?”   
_ _ “You know, pregnancy and everything. Didn’t that go way different in his time?”   
_ _ Daisy had to smile by thinking of the memory.  
_ _ “Actually, it was kinda sweet.”   
_ _ She sure was lucky.  _

“Hey you.”   
A pair of arms embraced her around her waist. A kiss on the top of her head.   
“Hey you.”  
“You can’t resist coming in here all the time, can’t you?”   
“She gets excited every time I come in here. Pretty sure she’s as impatient as we are.”   
She could hear him chuckle.   
“I’m happy both my girls are pleased with the result.”  
“Are you kidding me?”  
Daisy left his embrace to walk through the room.  
“We have this perfect vintage matching crib and changing table that you found for us. We have this amazing comfy chair with the pillows and blankets with SHIELD branding from Coulson and May, because LMD or not, Coulson can never help himself. Hunter and Bobbi filled this room with more toys than should be humanly possible and I am pretty sure that we are gonna be grateful for Fitz’ topnotch baby monitoring system one day. If you ask me, this room is pretty amazing.”   
“Do you know which part of the room I like most?”   
Daniel smiled and leaned against the wall next to the rocking chair Daisy was sitting in.   
Just like Daisy, Daniel was proud of how the nursery turned out. The space wasn’t really big, two walls of the room were painted in such a way that they resembled the universe, while the other walls had a softer blue. The baby’s crib was in one corner of the room, while the rocking chair was against the opposite wall. If there was one thing Daniel loved most of all in the room, 

It was the collection of polaroid pictures, given to them by Mack and Elena. They had hung the polaroids using clothespins on a rope line above the baby’s crib. The pictures showed their family; Daisy being fitted into her Quake suit by Fitz and Simmons, FitzSimmons with Diana, Coulson and May, a bunch of photos from an awkward selfie collection they had definitely taken from Daisy’s phone, and some pictures Daniel had no idea about how anyone had ever gotten their hands on them.

“I still can’t believe they went into the archives to get those pictures from you, Peggy, and… What was his name again?” 

A soft smile appeared on Daniel’s lips.

“Jack. Jack Thompson. First rate ass, but with his heart in the right place.”   
“Mack is never going to make me believe he got those pictures on his own. Coulson had definitely helped him.”   
“Definitely.” 

Daniel put an arm on Daisy’s shoulder when he tended to drift off to memory lane.

“You miss them, don’t you?”   
“Every single day.”   
“I’m sorry I never got to meet them.” 

He pressed a kiss on top of her head. 

“Don’t be. I definitely miss them, yeah, and I would have loved to introduce them to you, but actively missing them would mean that I would regret my choice of being here with you, which is simply not true. Staying here with you is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”   
Daisy put her head on his shoulder.  
“I love you. In whatever way the birth is going to go… I’m sure we can handle it.”    
Kickboxing against her ribs told the inhuman that someone else was very invested in their conversation. 

“Whoo… Looks like someone else is really invested in this as well.”   
Daniel smirked and got down on the level of Daisy’s belly button.   
“Hey you. Would you be so kind as to stop hurting your mom?” 

A giggle escaped Daisy's mouth, loving how Daniel spoke to their little girl, but her mood changed when she saw Daniel’s facial expression change.   
“Hey, what’s wrong?”   
He let out a sigh.

“I know we’ve had to deal with a lot. Don’t get me wrong, I am incredibly grateful that the surgery four weeks ago was a success, that you are feeling better and that the only thing shaking sometimes is the stuff in the room you’re present in, but I also understand that you feel our daughter’s movements more intensely and that they hurt you, which is something I hate. I just want you to enjoy everything that’s happening to us right now, and to find some godforsaken peace and quiet because that is what you deserve, after everything you’ve been through, that _we’ve_ been through, that you’re still in pain most of the time, and that-” 

Daisy had shut him up by kissing him and hugging him as tight as she possibly could with her 7-month pregnant belly. 

“I love you. Seriously, I do. I love how you’re worried about me and the baby, but manage to give me my space at the same time. I love how you’re worried about the pain I’m carrying with me while carrying our daughter, but the truth is… Every kick hurts. Yes, it hurts, but that hurt turns into love. A sickening, make me throw up kind of love, when Jemma makes me watch those silly romantic movies.”   
She cupped his face in her right hand.   
“My entire life, people have been protecting me. They took bullets for me, sacrificed themselves for me and carried my pain for me, so I didn’t have to carry it. The pain I’ve felt is a pain that is my own, and can only be carried by me. And every time I feel something that hurts, I know that I’m minutes closer to meeting our little girl and to having everything as I would want it to be.”   
A watery smile broke through on Daniel's face.    
“Now, don’t spend your time anymore on worrying about me or the baby. Am I in pain? Yes. Do I mind? No. Will it get worse during the delivery and will I probably quake some things? Definitely yes. But in the end, we will all be safe and sound.” 

Now it was Daniel who hugged his girlfriend.   
“You know, before we went all deep into that conversation, I had actually been looking for you.”   
Daisy let go of his embrace and looked at him with question marks in her eyes.  
“I’ve spoken to Jemma. If you promise to take it easy and stay on bed rest for the remainder of your pregnancy, she gave me the green light to take you on a weekend getaway.”  
Daisy almost jumped with excitement.   
“Yes! Finally! Where are we gonna go?” 

_ “He was actually relieved he can be a part of it.”  _

_ “No way”, Simmons gasped. “Did he really say that?”  _

_ “You should have seen Hunter when George was born, he almost fainted.”  _

_ “If Mack and I ever start on kids-”  _

_ “When I was in labor with Diana-”  _

_ Daisy heard her friends rambling on about their boyfriends, husbands and the times they gave birth. She truly loved every single one of them, but it made her also realize something else. _

_ “Of course he is nervous about the entire ordeal, but he’s mostly glad that he doesn’t have to sit in a room all by himself not doing anything. They used to have these special waiting areas for guys to wait until their wives had given birth. They could smoke cigars or chat with others. Imagine that you have to sit there all by yourself, while a nurse comes telling you that something bad has happened to the person you love.”  _

_ They all were silent, except for Diana, who was all cuddled up against Daisy on the bed.  _

_ “That was exactly my reaction when he told me. He’s glad he can support me and I’m sure grateful, but sometimes it gets really annoying. At the early stages, he had a level-1 agent track me to the grocery store.”  _

_ The mood in the room changed again.  _

_ “No way. He must have been talking to Fitz about back when I was pregnant with Diana. Did you know that he put trackers literally everywhere? The moment I found out-”  _

While they sat in the back of their cab, Daniel made a few mental notes to himself. 

  * That he did not come up with this idea on his own would be something Daisy probably guessed. 
  * He could never tell her that he had an entire floor of the facility SHIELD proofed 
  * He could and would never tell her that he had a quinjet on standby in case something went wrong.



“You’ve brought us to Florida. What are we doing here in Florida?”   
“Patience.”   
“But I want to know! Where are we going?”   
Daniel’s face already told her she wasn’t getting an answer out of him. She sighed in annoyance and decided to look out of the window. The SHIELD director couldn’t hide his smirk.   
“We should be there any minute now.”   
When the cab passed the “Safety Harbor Resort & Spa” sign, Daniel had become pretty sure that Daisy had only grinned like this once or twice before.  
“You… You are taking me to a spa?”   
“I had a little help for coming up with the idea, but I have been told you would appreciate it.”   
“Appreciate it?! Oh sir, I will show you how much I appreciate it.”   
Daisy started to kiss him, but at the same moment, the driver opened their door.   
“Your destination.”   
With a somewhat embarrassed grin, Daniel got out of the car, giving a hand to Daisy so she could get out. A bellboy had already gotten their luggage and together they went inside to the reception desk. Within 30 minutes they were checked in and on their way to their room.  
“No way… You got us an entire suite? With a view on the bay?!”   
She immediately went out on the balcony to check the view, while Daniel couldn’t hide his laughter.   
“You deserved a little pampering. In LA we used to have these resorts all the time, crawling with tourists. And in a few hours-”   
Daniel showed Daisy the possibilities the resort had to offer. Before he knew what was happening, Daisy was hugging him again, crying.   
“I love you. But if you’re gonna tell me you rented this entire resort-”   
Nah. He had only rented the entire floor, but she didn't need to know that.   
“Come’on, freshen yourself up a little. I’ll unpack and then we’ll head to the massage appointment.”   
She smiled and vanished into the bathroom, while Daniel started to unpack their stuff. While putting some t-shirts in a cupboard, something that looked like a postcard fell from between the shirts.   
_ “Maybe not really your style, but we thought you should have more pictures to add to your collection. Love, Jemma, Leo, Elena and Mack.”   
_ “Dais?”   
“Yeah?”   
“What do they mean with a “maternity” photoshoot?”   
Daisy’s head peaked around the bathroom door and looked at the postcard Daniel gave her. While she looked at the postcard, he went through their bags again. Underneath some underwear, he found something that looked like a voucher.  
“No way. Did they-”   
A warm glow filled her chest.   
“It’s a special photoshoot couples can do when they are expecting. And as it looks like from the information Jemma probably hid in our belongings, we have ours tomorrow morning at sunrise.”   
She pressed a kiss on Daniel's cheek, and vanished back into the bathroom. 

  
  



	9. August + September 2021

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has this been Beta'd? No. Did I really wanted to post again? Yes. Also: HAPPY 7X11 TONIGHT Y'ALL!!!

If someone had come up to Daniel 10 years ago and had told him how his life would look like today, he would have thought they were joking..   
From his spot by the window he could see her. She was watching her favourite tv-show with the use of her belly as support for her laptop, while she had a headphone clamped around her belly. Daniel knew from before that the headphone was connected to her phone, playing the baby proof playlist Daisy had created a while back. No hair on his head had agreed to Daisy her music being the only thing on that playlist, so the playlist contained a healthy mixture of both their styles; Some classics from Daniel, and some modern pop songs from Daisy. He still found it a bit weird, trying to make unborn babies listen to music, but dr. Simmons had assured him that it was good for the fetal development.   
Daisy giggled while looking at her laptop screen. How on earth had he gotten so lucky? Sometimes he still felt like he could wake up back in his apartment in 1955, believing all of this had been some strange dream. Honestly, waking up wasn’t the only moment when he had to ask himself if he had been dreaming or not. He had a prosthetic which contained technology Howard Stark would be jealous of, he worked on a daily basis with enhanced people and his girlfriend was next to an amazing person, a real life superhero.  
At least, when she wasn’t carrying their daughter. Since she’d known about her pregnancy she hadn’t put foot in the field ever since.    
“Mr. Sousa, your daughter is really diggin that Billy Joel vibe here.”   
“Does she?”   
From the modern music Daisy had introduced him to, he had gotten most of a liking to 70s and 80s music. He hated the fashion, but the music on the other hand… That was something else.   
“I hate that we have to leave tomorrow. This weekend was exactly what I needed.”   
Daisy had put her laptop away and was now staring at Daniel from her position on the bed.  
“The peace and quiet was nice for a change.”   
Back when he had been stationed in LA, he had sometimes gone to these kinds of places because Violet loved them, but he had never been a big fan of them because of his prosthesis. Here in 2021 with a biomechanical leg, the odds of him liking a spa retreat had drastically turned.   
“I agree. Not being on the base, just you and me- We should make that happen more often.”   
He didn’t want her to understand him in the wrong way, but Daniel had to admit that the past weekend had really been something else: They had shared massages, crazy baths with weird names and walks on the beach together and when Daisy had gone for her special “Mommy to be extravaganza”, Daniel had dropped down at a bed by the pool with a book. When he thought about it, he couldn’t even remember when the last time had been he had read something that had nothing to do with work.   
What Daniel had loved most about the entire weekend so far, was the photoshoot at sunrise. The photographer had given Daisy a beautiful white dress to shoot in and oh- He had truly adored her at that very moment. She had looked like an angel to him. They would be receiving the pictures tomorrow at the reception desk.   
“Totally. Don’t get me wrong, I love Fitzsimmons with Diana, Coulson and May, Deke with his jokes…”   
Daniel had put his arm around her; Daisy snuggled against him on the bed.   
“But this weekend together, with the two of us, being focussed on us… It got me thinking about things.”   
“What did you think about?”   
“I noticed while we are all still working together, everyone has started to focus on themselves as well since we got back to 2020. I mean, Fitzsimmons are raising Diana, I heard Mack is planning on proposing to Yo-Yo and we have our little nugget on the way. I know we have our apartment and I love the apartment and I love the nursery we put together, but it also got me wondering… How nice would it be if we had a place away from all of that? Even I have had my take on SHIELD free days.”   
“You know that we’re the ones leading it right?”   
Daisy had to laugh. “I know, I know, and I love that. I love living on the base, where our daughter could play with Diana, Robin, and the other inhuman kids from the inhuman division, but I also want to give our daughter what I never had… A house with a garden, a dog, and two loving parents. I know her life will far be from normal with us as her parents, but if we could at least give her that...”   
Something melted inside Daniel's chest. He noticed that unconsciously, he had moved his hand to Daisy her belly, feeling their daughter’s movements.   
“How would the house look like?”   
“It wouldn’t be that big. We’d have a room for us, for her. We’d have a study because we’re both workaholics and we love to take our work home with us. We’d have a walk-in kitchen, where you would be doing most of the cooking because you know how stuff already explodes when I touch it, and we’d have a dinner table where all our friends would be welcome. The house would be on the edge of a town, so we’d have nothing else but fields behind it. We’d have campfires at night, and enough space for a quinjet to land would never do us any harm, let’s be honest here.”   
While Daisy continued to describe her perfect getaway home to him, Daniel closed his eyes, getting lost in the images she had sketched in his mind. He could almost see it. He could almost touch it. 

* * *

When the quinjet closed its doors, Daniel was unable to hide his smile. Their weekend had been truly magnificent.   
“Where to, sir?” 

“Set course for home.”   
While the jet got up in the air, Daniel glared at Daisy, who couldn’t stop with going through the photographs from the shoot. There were pictures of them together, with Daniel’s arms around her waist, there was one with Daisy holding a bunch of balloons in the morning light, but Daniel his favourite one was the one where the sun just glared over the horizon, making Daisy shine in her white dress like never before.   
“We should put a few of these in her room.” 

“We will when we get home.” 

He put an arm around her while she rested her head against his shoulder. 

Daniel had never expected he could ever be this happy.

* * *

“Sousa! Sousa!”   
An annoyed sigh escaped Daniel's mouth when he heard the voice of someone he didn’t really feel like seeing after returning from a weekend away with Daisy.   
“You should get your rest. I will be there shortly, allright?”   
He pressed a kiss on Daisy's forehead and turned around to the person who had called his name, while Daisy went on to their apartment.   
“Shaw, I literally just got back to the Lighthouse. Can’t this wait?”   
Deke came to an abrupt stop in front of the newest SHIELD director.   
“Sousa… Director... “ He panted. “I know you just got back from whatever you were doing, but you should really hear my pitch out. Agent May- No sorry- Director May already approved it.” 

Hm. If May thought Deke had a good idea for once-  
“Hernandez, go see if agent Johnson has made it to her apartment, will you? Inform agent Simmons immediately after that we have returned.”   
“Yes director.”   
A female agent they had passed in the hallway nodded to them and took off.   
“Shaw, you have five minutes.” 

“Great! That’s great! I don’t need more! Come with me.”   
From the moment Daniel had gotten on the Zephyr in 1955, Deke Shaw had not been his favourite person, but he had started to respect and like him a bit more when he had gotten to know him better. Where time travel had been like a fish on dry land for Daniel, it had been like a glove for Deke: He had adapted just fine.   
“If you look at these schematics-” 

Deke started on a long technical rant that sounded like another language to Daniel, but luckily for Deke, he was interrupted by May, who had noticed Daisy and Daniel had returned from their trip and had now joined Deke and Daniel in the briefing room. 

“Shaw is trying to tell you that he wants to set up the next SHIELD academy with a special division for the children of agents and other staff members.” 

“Wait… What?”   
“You know, since I got to the early 21st century, I never really knew what I wanted to do with my life”, the young man explained. “I’ve been an entrepreneur, a tech-giant- I’ve done many things, but then Nana and Bobo got little Dee, and now you and Daisy have a little one on the way as well, and I thought: Is there anyone who specializes in giving these kids a proper education without feeling like a freak?”   
Daniel could only stare at him, waiting for him to go on.   
“Exactly, I mean, look at your future kid, the kid from a spy from 1955 and a bad-ass inhuman. Can you ever send that kid to a normal school? No! So there should be a place where kids like Diana and your future kid can feel like themselves, where they can learn things that are gonna be useful in their lives. Call it… SHIELD hogwarts! Yeah, that’s a good name.” 

“Hogwarts is not a good name”, May added, “But agent Shaw has a point somewhere. Developing a new SHIELD academy is still in its early phase, but we need to increase our recruitment. Plus, a place where inhumans could safely go to school? Where a three year old whom’s parents have 3 PHDs combined could go to school? It’s a solid plan. It would need some finetuning, but with the right tools…”   
Everything in Daniel’s head worked overtime for now. His gut told him that both Deke and May had a solid point here, but his mind could not deal with the fact that he was already supposed to be thinking about his daughter’s educational career. 

“Agent May, I expect that every decision you will be making concerning the plans of agent Shaw will not be made lightly. You will have my full support.”   
Deke could barely hide his excitement.   
“I just got from a 3-hour quinjet flight, so my head isn’t really into reading workfiles right now, but if you could send your plans to my office, I’ll look at it first moment I’m back at work. If you guys don’t mind, I have to make sure Daisy stays in bed for the following six weeks.” 

“We’ve been informed on that,” May replied. “Simmons will bring you up to speed about a plan we’ve made.”   
Daniel nodded and left the briefing room, back to his apartment, where he found Daisy with an uncovered belly on the bed, while Simmons had the end of her stethoscope pressed against it.   
“From what I can hear, your weekend get away has done a lot of good for both mom and baby”, Simmons explained. “If you manage to keep as much bed rest as possible for the upcoming 6 weeks, I’m sure that everything will be in order until you’re 37 weeks along.”   
“A price happily paid,” Daisy sighed. Simmons put her medical supplies back in her bag, and exchanged them for a white paper.   
“Now everything seems to be in order, we all understand that 6 weeks on bedrest can be incredibly boring. Together with the others I’ve made a schedule, so you’ll have someone with you everyday to keep you company. I hope by doing that we can take some weight off the two of you.”   
Simmons gave the paper with the schedule to Sousa, who couldn’t hide an amused smile. Everyone of their friends had signed up to keep Daisy company for a day: May, YoYo, Piper, even the secretary from the board of directors, Joan. When Daniel passed the paper on to Daisy, he knew that she felt the same about the amount of people willing to keep her company.   
“Wow, Jemma… This is amazing. Thank you.”   
“I’ve put myself on for next week Friday and saturday, because we still have to do a Sherlock marathon. I’ll bring the popcorn. For now, take your rest. I’ll see myself out.”   
Jemma left them on their own, but both Daniel and Daisy felt incredibly lucky. They were glad to have their friends by their side. 

  
  



	10. October 2021

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their little girl gets here :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT THAT 7X11 EPISODE. Further on, I am not a doc, but I tried my best to write this chapter with the help of google. I hope you will enjoy.

“Do I need to hire you a secretary? It’s the tenth time you checked your phone in the last three minutes.”   
Daniel sighed and looked at May, who was sitting at the other side of the table. They were going through some old mission files in the hope there would be something in it to further expand the current SHIELD facilities and operations, but Daniel his thoughts were somewhere else.   
“Simmons being on an emergency consult… It doesn’t make me feel so hot”, he replied. “I know we have the c-section planned in five days, but I can’t shake the feeling-”   
“Knock it off, Sousa. Saying it out loud will only jinx it. Besides, everyone is taking turns watching Daisy. She’ll be fine. After all this time, she’s still stronger than we know.”   
“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of,” Daniel replied. “It should not-”   
May gestured to him to stay quiet. Daniel didn’t understand what was going on and wanted to say something, but a shiver ran down his spine when he saw the Asian woman stare at a plastic cup with coffee on the table.   
“Five minutes ago, the coffee in that cup was rippling, and now it’s doing it again.”   
Meeting her eyes, Daniel silently asked her what he could not say out loud. With a small nod, he knew May was thinking the exact same thing. They both got up and weren’t running just yet when they headed to the apartment's floor. Daniel threw the door open, looking at a very surprised Daisy and Fitz, who was on Daisy watch duty for now.   
“You guys okay?”   
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”   
They all met eyes silently, when the voice of a small girl drew their attention.  
“Auntie Mel! Uncle Daniel!”   
Diana, FitzSimmons 3-year-old daughter, had been with Daisy and Fitz as well.   
“Hey sweetie, would you mind coming with me? I’m sure Robin would love to give you some of her visions for you to color out. Maybe after we could go for ice cream, does that sound like a good idea?”   
The blond girl looked at her dad expectantly, who gave an approving nod to which she responded with a kiss on her father's cheek.   
“Have a good time with May, honey.”   
May grabbed the girl by her hand and led her out of the apartment, leaving the two men and Daisy behind.   
“Are you okay?” Daniel asked with a worried look on his face.   
“I am fine,” Daisy replied. “I can feel the baby move, but that’s about it.”   
“May and I were at work when we noticed that the coffee started to ripple.”   
“So?”   
“Every 5 minutes.”   
“But Dan, I haven’t been feeling anything! Fitz and I have been here watching movies with Diana. I'm pretty sure I would know if I was going into labor.”   
“I’m gonna call Jemma”, Fitz said while he got up from the bed. “I think it’s better we have her around from now on. From her location she should be here within 4 hours.”   
“Daisy, will you please come with me to let you get checked out in medical? I think we can both agree that we cannot afford uncertainties, can't we?”   
Daisy made a face, but on the other hand, she knew he was right. She was absolutely terrified of uncontrolled quaking during potential contractions, so easing her mind would be good for her.   
“Okay, okay. I suppose you’re right.”   
Daniel helped her from the bed, because getting up by herself was impossible with a belly like hers, but Daisy couldn’t hide her dissatisfaction when someone in a lab coat came around the corner in a wheelchair.   
“I have a bun in the oven; I’m not disabled.”   
“Daisy-”   
“Hell no.”   
“Fine then.”   
Before she could react, Daniel had taken her in his arms, carrying her to the medical wing. Among normal circumstances, she would have protested. This time, she did not. In medical, Daniel put her down on one of the beds in the med bay hall. When a doctor checked her out, she didn't know how to react.  
“How- How can I be 2 centimeters dilated? I didn’t even feel anything!”   
"Fitz is on the phone with Simmons right now, she'll get back here as soon as possible."  
"But- But-"  
Daniel could swear he felt the floor shake beneath him. Could also be just him. Not so long after, a video screen with Jemma Simmons her face got ridden in front of them.  
" _Daisy? Fitz just explained your situation to me."_

"Hi Jem."

" _I know it all might seem scary, but a dilation from 2 centimeters doesn't have to mean anything for now. When people have their first children, they stay between 0 to 3 centimeters for days sometimes. As your water hasn't broken yet, I feel confident there is still time, but despite your condition, I don't want to stop your labor from progressing."_

Oh. This was really happening.

" _I can be back at the base in four hours. As I am the only doctor on staff with the right knowledge about inhuman biology, I want to avoid someone else having to do your surgery, which means you might need to deal with your contractions for the time being. For now, I'd suggest that you change into a medical gown, stay in bed or take a nice warm shower to help ease the pain."_

During Jemma's explanation, Daisy her hand had slid into Daniel's, playing with his fingers.

" _In the event of the baby arriving sooner than I get back, Fitz has been instructed to initiate xbox protocol. Avoiding everything that stresses you out would also be a great help. Now, Fitz, if you could-"_

While Fitz drove the screen away, Daisy could feel an unease in her belly, like a very annoying period pain. It came and it passed. She noticed she was starting to hold her breath every time it came.

Uh-oh.   
She could feel the bed under her shake like furniture did when way too loud music was being played. So far for the implant she had gotten during surgery.   
"Hey. I'll run home to grab a bag with your stuff, okay?"  
He squeezed her hand, giving her a comforting and calm smile, but she knew it was all a façade; He was as nervous as she was.   
“Okay.”   
While Daniel left the medical wing, a nurse helped Daisy to change into a medical gown. Now she still felt somewhat okay. That shower might be a good idea for later. 

* * *

Daniel’s hands were refusing service. He tried to relax them and took a deep breath, but it did not seem to work. He sat down on the bed and closed his eyes.   
Goddamn anxiety. Their kid was going to get born today, he should feel happy about finally getting to meet their baby girl. Why couldn’t he shake the feeling something truly awful was going to happen?   
_“Because of the life you’re living”,_ a little voice answered his thoughts. “ _Because the woman you love can quake continents apart, and who knows what else when she is in labor.”  
_ A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He didn’t move. After a few minutes, the door opened and agent May got into the bedroom. He made a mental note to keep track of how many people had a spare key from their apartment.  
“I can feel your anxiety through the wall. I assume it’s about to happen?”   
“Simmons is on her way back here now,” Daniel replied. “She should be here within a couple of hours, according to her there is no one else on the medical team with the right expertise to perform the surgery other than her.”   
“How is Daisy holding up?”   
“She isn’t realizing she’s using her powers. She’s losing control.”  
Daniel didn’t need the older woman’s gift to know how she was feeling about him. She felt sorry for him.  
“And how are you holding up?”   
He shrugged his shoulders. “Does it matter? Pretty sure you know the answer already anyway.”   
“It does matter how you’re feeling, Sousa,” May replied. “Sit.”   
He had wanted to get up, but May had pushed him back on the bed.   
“Everyone who is in possession of a brain and some common sense knows what Daisy means to you. What you mean to her. During the delivery she is going to need you, and it will be mainly about her and the baby, yes, but you are allowed to feel. We’re all experts here when it comes to hiding what we really think, but keeping your emotions in is not gonna help. That’s gonna lead to an explosion.”   
Daniel wisely kept his mouth shut.   
“I know you want to protect Daisy from worrying about you while she has other things on her mind, but while she is becoming a mother, you are becoming a father. You are allowed to feel something with that.”  
May knew where he stood when he kept staring to the floor.  
“I’m going to give you ten minutes. I’m going to wait outside your apartment door. I’ll do my best to give you some privacy, but I can’t make any promises. After that, I’ll walk you to the medical floor.”   
Without saying anything else, May stood up from her spot and left the apartment. Outside in the hallway, she tried very hard not to taste the emotions coming from the apartment, but flares of fear, nervosity and insecurity slipped through the cracks sometimes. She hoped Sousa would let it all out for a minute, so he could be fully at Daisy’s disposal.   
After exactly ten minutes had passed, Daniel exitted the apartment, with a bag over his shoulder. His eyes were red, but May chose not to mention it. At the doors of the medfloor, May gave Daniel a final hug.   
‘Good luck to the both of you.”   
He smiled at her one last time before entering the medical floor. 

* * *

During the time Daniel had been gone, Daisy had changed into a gown and spent the time in bed. The cramps she felt now came by sometimes and felt like ever present period cramps. She wasn’t really bothered by their level of pain (let’s say it, she had been through worse), but subconsciously they were doing something to her. She could feel the vibrations around her change, every time she felt cramping. She tried to maintain her cool, but it was hard. Very hard. She kept telling herself that Jemma would be back in time for the c-section, which would go okay, because Daisy would be knocked out cold, but she was absolutely terrified of having to give birth in the normal way, killing everyone in the process. The device Fitz had implanted during the surgery helped a little, but she could still take the entire lighthouse down with her.   
“I would like to take that shower now, if you don’t mind.” 

She was happy for the private room with a private bathroom on the medical floor. A nurse helped her to change out of her gown and helped her underneath the welcoming hot shower. Daisy wasn’t so happy someone she didn’t know stood with her while she was in a bathroom of all places, but she was also very much aware she could not be left alone right now. She took it as she had to. 

The warm streams of water coming from the showerhead felt like a blessing from above on her body. She put her face underneath the stream, feeling her muscles relax under its touch.

“Breathe, Daisy,” she told herself. “Breathe. You’ve been through worse things in life.” 

At the same moment, a sharp pain close to her belly button made her cry out in pain. She moaned when she felt something gush out of her, only for later to realize her water had broken. She could feel the walls and floor starting to shake, fear grabbing a hold of her.

“Please Jemma, hurry.” She whispered to herself when tears had started to stream down from her face.   
If Jemma would not be back in time… She would kill everyone. In her desire for her own family, she would kill everyone she considered family; Everyone on this entire base.   
“Daisy? Daisy!”   
Before she knew what was happening, Daniel was with her under the shower, fully clothed, grabbing hold of her sobbing body.  
“I can’t do this- I’m going to kill everyone.”  
Her sobs were long. All Daniel did was hold her, while they both got soaked underneath the showerhead. When another contraction hit her, the shaking started again, Daisy crying out in pain.   
“I can’t do this! I can’t- I can’t- I can’t- It hurts, ah, it hurts so bad.”   
She was panicking.  
“Daisy, ssshh. Look at me. Focus on me.”   
Their foreheads touched. Daniel caressed her lower back. In every touch, in every movement, Daisy could feel his love for her.   
More shaking. The contraction hurt less. She focussed on his vibrations, his energy.

She felt calmer.

Better.

“I think it’s time to get you from underneath this shower, shall we?”   
She nodded, letting Daniel pull her up on her feet, looking at the mess she had caused.  
“I’m sorry-”  
“Ssshh, it’s okay. Ssshh, we got you.” 

While the nurse present took care of the shower, Daniel and another nurse helped her back in the gown, not letting go for even a second. When another contraction hit her, the shaking was only so little.  
“Good, shh. I got you.” 

With Daniel’s help, she got back on the bed, on her side, clinging to his hands, as his presence felt like the only thing pulling her through all of this. When someone from the medical staff checked her out again, she was 5 centimeters dilated. 

“You’re a natural!” The doctor had told her. “Let me get doctor Fitz for you; He should have an update on dr. Simmons her location.”   
When the doctor left the room, Daniel stroked Daisy's hair with his free hand. It was now up in a bun.   
“It’s all gonna be okay”, he comforted her. “Sssh, you’re doing so wonderful. You’re amazing.”   
He pressed a kiss on her sweaty forehead, while Daisy moaned through another contraction. With her arms clenched around one of her favorite pillows, she did her best to hold on. Daniel felt relieved when the contraction had passed. He hated seeing her in pain. 

Suddenly, she sat up, looking around with panic in her eyes. Daniel was just in time to put a bucket underneath her when she started to throw up.   
Of course this was also the exact moment Fitz had decided to make his entrance.   
“Daniel, can I-”   
Daniel had assumed Fitz had properly wanted to talk to him about the Xbox protocol outside Daisy's room, but when the scientist noticed the current situation, he wisely kept his mouth shut.   
“Jemma is 90 minutes out.”   
When she had finished throwing up and he gave her a towel, another contraction hit Daisy straight in the gut, making her scream into her pillow. The entire room was shaking, now more than before.   
“I assume you want to talk about the Xbox?”   
Daniel glared at Daisy, who wasn’t really in the position to talk right now.  
“I have people ready to give her an epidural, as we have no interest for quakes while we're in the elevator. She should be able to get transported-”   
“CAN THE TWO OF YOU SHUT YOUR FACES ABOUT YOUR XBOX?!”   
Daisy had thrown her pillow into Fitz his direction, but suddenly clenched her arms around her belly again, sobbing out in pain. Both Fitz and Daniel hold their breath, scared the roof was gonna come down on them, but that did not happen. Not yet, at least.

“You should go.”   
Tears were streaming down Daisy’s face again.  
“I don’t want to kill you. The device isn't helping anymore. I don't want to kill anyone.”   
“You won’t”, Daniel sushed his girlfriend. “Did you really think we would not come up with a plan C?”   
“Jemma should be here.”  
“Shh,” Daniel calmed her again. “You’re going to be just fine. We’ll be transporting you shortly.”   
“To where?”   
Daniel could feel her fear. This was the moment he had to act; Be the one who guarded her.   
“The Xbox is the code name for an Inhuman proof delivery bunker underneath the Lighthouse. You’ll be okay.”  
“No- You want me to do this- No! No, I can’t- I can’t! No no no no no-” 

The room started to shake again. Daniel was pretty sure that if the room had had windows, they would definitely have been broken. The CTG around Daisy's waist started to make some alarming sounds. While Daniel got on the bed with Daisy in an attempt to calm her down, he and Fitz both looked at each other, knowing they were thinking the exact same thing. From there on, everything happened very fast. Daisy sunk into her own small world of dealing with contractions and her boyfriend, while Daniel was the bridge between her small world and everything that happened around her. Without letting her go, he helped her to sit up, so an anesthesiologist could place an epidural. When he softly helped her to lay down again, he could hear Daisy moan in relief. While they stayed connected through their intertwined hands, Fitz was ordering around the medical staff, so Daisy could be prepped for transport to the Xbox. With her on the bed clenching Daniel’s hand, they entered the elevator, sinking deeper and deeper into the earth. When the elevator doors opened, Daniel was relieved to see the high walls of the medical bunker.   
“Good news. The quinjet with Jemma is making progress. 30 minutes to go.”   
It felt like an enormous weight had been lifted from Daniel's shoulders.   
“30 minutes until Jemma gets here. Okay. We can do that. We can do that right?”   
Daisy seemed to relax a little as well.  
“30 minutes. Jemma’s here in 30 minutes.”   
She moaned softly, but the epidural had seemed to take the rough edges from the contractions. She even seemed a bit sleepy.  
“Ssh. Try to rest for now, okay? I’m going to talk to Fitz for a moment. I’ll be just outside the door if you need me.”   
Daisy nodded, now clenching on to another pillow. Daniel pressed a kiss on her hand and followed Fitz outside. For the first time since Daisy had gone into labor, Daniel finally seemed able to catch a breath.   
“Do you want me to update the others? Everyone’s been feeling the quakes. They’re all waiting outside the med floor.”   
“Just… If anyone asks, she’s hanging in there.”   
Fitz recognized the look Daniel had on his face. Three years ago, he had been told he had had that exact same look when Jemma had given birth to Diana; Jemma had struggled through 20 hours of labour. He couldn’t have been more proud of her.  
“I’ll tell them you both are doing okay. I’ll have to go upstairs to brief Jemma anyway. I’ll send someone to check how far Daisy has dilated so far.”  
He wished Daniel all the luck in the world and headed to the elevator, to pick up Jemma when she got in on the platform. When the elevator doors closed in front of him, Fitz was pretty sure he was going to get an ass-whooping from his wife when she got in.   
There was a side effect from the epidural he had not told Daisy and Daniel about. 

* * *

After someone had checked Daisy out again, they knew she was 7 centimeters dilated now. Daniel was brushing her hair, pressed kisses on her hands. She looked absolutely exhausted, but he knew she had to keep on fighting.   
"Funny they brought this place back."   
In short, Daisy had explained the use of the white room to him, how they had used it to contain new inhumans in the past.   
"Guess if it worked in the past, it probably works again."   
She smirked, leaning back in the pillows. Daniel sat on the side of the bed, dapping some sweat from her forehead.   
“It’s kinda weird actually. I can feel the contractions, but they don’t really hurt.”  
Daisy had started to explain how the contractions felt now she was still under the influence of the epidural. She seemed more relaxed. Daniel wondered why they hadn’t given her the epidural earlier.   
“Oh wait- Hngggmp- That was a lie. A big, fat lie. I can feel it- I can feel it! It’s starting again.”   
The ground was shaking again. Daniel was intensely grateful for the Xbox protocol. On his watch, he could see Daisy’s contractions were now coming every 2 minutes. The amount of medical devices behind her didn’t make him feel any better.   
“Breathe- Breathe, breathe- good job. Well done.”   
Daisy started to clench her hands around his arms again, while the door of the room opened up.   
“I am SO SORRY for being away!”   
Running into the room came Jemma Simmons, in full medical gear and masked up.   
“Jemma! HHmmmmpfff-”   
Daisy worked herself through another set of contractions and shaking floors, while Daniel gave Jemma a silent “Hey”.  
“Let’s look at what we got, shall we? I’m gonna do a quick ultrasound to see what we’re working with here. Remind me to give Fitz a lecture after all of this, it's a long story.”   
Daniel held Daisy still while Jemma uncovered Daisy’s belly and performed an ultrasound. The shaking seemed to get worse every time they came. When all color vanished from Jemma's face, Daniel knew something was wrong. “Jemma, talk to us.”   
“Your baby-”  
Silence.  
“There is nothing wrong in a really negative way, but let me check the dilation first.”   
“The baby is coming”, Daisy whispered. She tried to focus on Daniel’s presence, his vibrations, his heartbeat, but it did not go well. Keeping the quakes in proved difficult.  
“You’re nine centimeters dilated,” Jemma explained. “When I look at the ultrasound, performing a c-section would only do you more harm than good. I’m sorry, but we’re gonna need to do this here and now.”   
When Daniel looked at Daisy to see how she would react, he got the hunch that she wanted to panic, but was too exhausted to do so. Actually… She was pretty calm underneath it.   
“You should go. I don’t want to hurt you. You’d all die because of me.”   
“Daisy, we’ve had this discussion before.”  
“No Daniel, that I’ve- OH GOD- Yeah I have to push. This kid is coming right now.”   
In that very moment, Daniel did something he couldn’t care any less about.  
“Move a bit up will you?”   
“What-”   
He’d taken his shoes off and climbed on the bed, positioning himself behind Daisy, so she could lean against him.  
“Daniel-”  
“You could never hurt me”, he whispered in her ear. He grabbed her hands so she had something to squeeze into -he couldn't care less if his hands would end up broken- and positioned her against his chest. Softly, small tears started to stream from the corners of Daisy’s eyes. Oh, she was scared. She was absolutely terrified. But laying against the chest of the man she loved like this- It made her feel better. More comfortable. It made it easier to drown in his vibrations.   
“Daisy, I can help you with that last centimeter,” Simmons explained. “But it’s gonna hurt, allright?”   
“We can do this,” Daniel whispered in her ear. She leaned back against him, trying to focus solely on the vibrations she got from his body, while she could feel Simmons doing something inside her uterus. Daisy hissed, growling behind her clenched teeth, and leaned back against Daniel.   
“Ssshh, there we go.”   
“All right, you’re fully dilated now,” Jemma said while looking up from in between Daisy her legs. “The moment you feel up for it-”   
Daisy squeezed Daniel’s hands and pushed with everything she had. The entire bunker was shaking on its foundations.  
“You’re progressing nicely. The baby’s crowning.”   
Daisy was panting, waiting for another contraction to follow. Daniel dabbed the sweat from her forehead with a piece of cloth, telling her how much he loved her.  
“And… Push! Give it everything you got!”   
He was almost sure the entire bunker would get down on them. That didn’t happen.   
“I can see the head! You’re almost there!”   
“I am so proud of you, Daisy.”  
Daisy pushed again. It was like the storm was reaching its peak.   
“All right, all right, the umbilical cord isn’t wrapped around the neck, which is good, and the head is out. With one final push, your baby is gonna be there. Are you ready?”   
Daisy slowly turned her head to Daniel, so she could look him straight in the eyes.  
“You’re still sure you’re good?” 

A kiss on her forehead. 

“I am where I need to be.”   
“Push!”   
Daisy moaned, bending over with all the power she had in her. Daniel could hear a wall break somewhere inside the bunker. Then the storm got quiet. Everything was silent except for Daisy's panting, when Jemma chimed up.  
“Look mom and dad, here’s your baby girl!”   
Simmons put a rosy pink looking baby on Daisy’s chest. The inhuman, full of hormones, started to cry, while Daniel could feel tears forming in his eyes as well.   
“She is so beautiful,” Daisy whispered. “We made that. Can you believe we made that?”   
He kissed her on her forehead and wrapped his arms around his girls.  
“Are you crying?”   
More kisses. He whispered in her ear how proud he was of her, of them, and how much he loved her. When he looked at the pink bundle of joy in Daisy’s arms, he felt a sensation in his chest he had never felt before in his life.   
Was this… Was this what parents felt? Was this that undying love parents had for their children? If that was what it was, Daniel didn’t want to miss a minute from it. He had only just met this pink, dark haired girl and he knew that he'd take a bullet, a car crash, a bomb, _anything_ , for her.  
“What’s her name?” Jemma asked. Both Daisy and Daniel looked at each other, Daisy trying to hide her smile.   
“Anne Melinda Margeret Sousa-Johnson,” Daisy said. “But she’ll be known to everyone as Maggie.”   
Jemma, who started to realize what her friends had done, could not hide her tears. She whispered a silent thank you to her friends and took Maggie from them, to give her a medical check-up.   
“We still have the placenta to wait on, but I think an update upstairs will be highly appreciated. Shall I send a message to Fitz?”   
“No,” Daisy answered. She grabbed Daniel’s hand, who had moved from his position behind Daisy to an empty chair. “You should go.”   
The dark haired man raised his eyebrows.  
“What? Are you sure?”   
Daisy pressed a kiss on his forehead and squeezed his hand.   
“Babe, I love you so much and I am so incredibly grateful for how you’ve had my back, quite literally if I might say, but after the placenta is out, I’m pretty sure I’m gonna fall asleep for the next couple of 48-hours.”   
“Which you should”, Jemma added, “Inhuman deliveries are quite more strenuous and stressful than normal ones.”   
“P.S., You probably look as miserable as me right now. You look like you could use a break.”   
Daniel, who knew Daisy could always look straight through him, pressed a kiss on their intertwined hands.   
“Are you sure?”   
“Go. Take Maggie with you if you want to. It’ll be the perfect excuse for us to lock ourselves down here for the next week without seeing anyone besides the three of us and Jemma on an irregular basis.”   
“You will at least be staying here for the upcoming week”, Jemma said. “We want to keep an eye on potential ‘aftershocks.”  
Daniel, who knew both ladies had a point, found the idea of bonding with his family for a week without any interruption from anyone quite tempting. Over the span of time he had been in the 21st century so far, he had learned the hard way how curious the people in the lighthouse could be. Bonding with his two girls for an entire week would be an incredible gift.  
“You’d better be resting when I get back, Dais. You deserve it.”   
He went on to the medical station where Simmons had Maggie. The baby had a small little hat on. Jemma was busy wrapping her in a blanket.   
“Are you ready to hold your daughter?”   
Carefully, Jemma gave Maggie to her father, who could barely contain himself. She had his hair, but her mother’s eyes. He was still wondering how he could already feel so much love for such a little creature.   
“Hey you,” he said. “I’m your dad. Oh my g- I’m your dad. It’s the 21st century and I’m your dad.” 

In flashes, his past life passed in front of him; How he had only had his work, how a family never happened, his past with Peggy. All these people should have seen him now. He could now fairly call the day Daisy posed as a CIA operative in his office the best day of his life. Her arrival had literally brought him everything he wanted. It had brought him two functioning legs, the love of his life, with whom he was pretty sure was his soulmate and now this little girl, who had made him become a father. He was a father now. Every vessel in his body told him he was going to be amazing in doing this.  
“You've got me wrapped around your little finger, don’t you? You already have your mother's charm.”   
When he stepped into the elevator up to the medical floor, Maggie was asleep in his arms. He was sure of it that he could look at her for days.   
“Your life is gonna be a life others can only dream of. Oh, you’ll love everyone. You’ll have so many aunts and uncles that you’ll never be alone.”   
When he noticed he was nearing the medical floor, he kept Maggie closer to his body. When he stepped out of the elevator, he headed to the waiting area, where the others were waiting on news. When he entered the area, everyone looked at him in awe.  
“Everyone, this is our daughter Anne Melinda Margaret Sousa-Johnson, but we want everyone to know her as Maggie.”   
Carefully, Daniel gave Maggie to YoYo, who immediately had many people gathered around her, to admire the little girl. With an exhausted sigh, Daniel dropped down in one of the chairs.   
“You really wanted to call your kid after me?”   
May sat down next to him.  
“Daisy insisted.”  
She gave him a soft smile that was bursting with pride. “How’s she holding up? How did it go?”   
“It was tough, but she was amazing.”  
“She wanted you to get a break, didn’t she?”   
Daniel’s face gave May the answer she needed. The older woman chuckled in return.   
“I can feel how proud and exhausted you are, Sousa.” She turned her head a little.   
“She’s happy, and proud of you too.”   
“Wait what?”   
“Daisy. She’ll probably never mention it, but she’s glad that you had her back and that you survived it with her, right beside her even.”   
Daniel chuckled, but also knew May had a point. If this would have been his era, he wouldn’t have been able to survive outside, to wait. At Daisy’s side supporting her, that was exactly where he had needed to be.  
His gaze flipped from his thoughts to their SHIELD family, who were all adoring the newest addition to the family. It had taken him a while to see them as his family as well, but he had gotten there. If he thought back at how May had helped him with his anxiety, how Fitz had helped him with his insecurities about becoming a dad and of course there was the crib incident where Mack had saved his honor and pride. Daniel was incredibly glad he had stayed for the ride.   
After a good 20 minutes had passed, Daniel decided that someone needed to get back to her mother. He took the baby from Mack and wanted to head back to the elevators.   
“Sousa, it might be better if you stay up here for just a little while longer.”   
May had pressed a hand on his shoulder. When Fitz joined them, red flags were raised inside his head.   
“Fitz… What is going on?”   
Both May and Fitz didn’t say anything.   
“I have my newborn daughter in my arms right now. Do you want me to freak out right now?”   
If there were two people present who understood his anxiety about parenthood, it was Fitz and May.   
“Jemma just messaged me that something came up and you should stay upstairs. She’ll come to get you when you can come back down.”   
“Focus on your little girl, Daniel.”   
The only who ever called him by his first name was Daisy.   
The little girl started to stir awake in his arms and Daniel knew he had to sit down to get her quiet. While he focussed on Maggie, he sat down, rocking her back and forth.  
Not that later, the elevator bells rang, signaling the elevator had opened up.   
“Jemma?”   
Fitz ran to his wife and exchanged some words with her from a distance Daniel couldn’t hear them. When Simmons collapsed, crying hysterically, Daniel his heart dropped.  
No. No no no no no no no.   
This could not be happening.   
This had to be a nightmare.

*****

With a gasp, Daniel sat straight up.  
“It’s okay. Sshh, it’s okay. You’re with me. We're in the bunker, just the three of us.”  
Daisy had been stroking him through his hair. Apparently, he had fallen asleep on the chair next to her bed. Just like old times.   
“Another nightmare? I had them all the time when I was around 20 weeks. You’ll get used to them.”   
When she noticed Daniel had not really returned to reality yet, she kept stroking his hair and forehead.   
“Hey, shh. We’re here now. Look over there. We haven't gone anywhere.”   
Seeing their daughter sound asleep in a cot next to Daisy and her bed made him feel calm and at ease again.   
“I don’t get how you can handle it.”  
“The nightmares?”   
“Uh huh.”   
She moved up a little on the queen sized bed in which she delivered their on daughter. She signaled Daniel to lay down next to her and he did. He didn’t like to admit it, but he was exhausted as well. Not as bad as Daisy of course, but he still was.   
When he settled next to her, she cuddled up next to him. She could feel his muscles relax under her presence.   
“You’ll get used to them. You learn to live with them. In the end, you try to change them into something better. Do you know how many nightmares I’ve had about everyone dying?”   
Daniel had a fair idea.   
“That was before. Now I have you and Mags.”   
She crawled deeper into his embrace. He placed a kiss on her hair.   
“I am still so proud of you. You were in control today, and we’re all here now.”   
“Couldn’t have done it without you,” Daisy replied. “If you hadn’t dragged me through it, I’m not really sure what would have happened.”   
“And the light house is still standing.”   
That comment made Daisy laugh.   
“Yeah, she’s still standing.”   
Next to them, someone started to stir awake.   
“Someone is a hungry little boggard.”   
Daisy bent over and took Maggie from her crib, knowing that someone had gotten hungry. She uncovered one of her breasts and hissed a bit when the baby latched on.   
“I’ll never get used to this.”   
She settled back in the pillows while nursing their daughter. Daniel could not keep his eyes off them. His heart was filled with love and admiration for his beautiful girlfriend and daughter, and he knew there was no other place he had wanted to be above the here and now.   
“Marry me.”   
That ripped Daisy from her thoughts immediately.  
“What?!”   
“Daisy Johnson, you survived many things, fetal surgery and labor during multiple earthquakes among them. I’ve only grown to love you more ever since. I know that I’m not really on one knee now, but during that nightmare I got to realize that all my nightmares have one thing in common. Without you in my life-”   
Daisy put her free hand under Daniel’s chin and kissed him.  
“I never took myself as someone for marriage, but with the two of you by my side… I’d gladly dive into it.”  
"Plus, I really like that getaway home you described to me a while back. We should make an effort of making that come true."   
Daisy laughed and looked back at their daughter, who was still nursing from her. Her life promised to be a very interesting one.   
After all, who would expect anything else from a girl with such a unique gene pool? 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She is here! Maggie Sousa-Johnson :) The parents are very happy. Can I say how much I loved Daniel's reaction in the episode when he saw outer space for the first time? It reminded me of the choice for the nursery.


	11. August 2022 - epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lullaby Dousy always sings for their daughter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XldLbWKHHIE&list=TLPQMDEwODIwMjDGwHsYb_bLCw&index=2

The t-shirt read “the very next SHIELD agent”, and both Daniel and Daisy thought it was ridiculously cute. It was time for Maggie to take her afternoon nap. Daisy always took Maggie out of bed to nurse her, Daniel put her in her crib for the afternoon, and at night they brought her to bed together, mission or not.

_ May your dreams bring you peace in the darkness, _

_ May you always rise over the rain. _

_ May the light from above always lead you to love, _

_ May you stay in the arms of the angels. _

With Maggie on his arm, he softly rocked her a little before he would put her in her crib. Daisy and him had made a habit out of singing Maggie asleep. No one knew they did that, besides the two of them. 

_ May you always be brave in the shadows _

_ Till the sun shines upon you again. _

_ Hear this prayer in my heart _

_ And will never be apart, _

_ May you stay in the arms of the angels. _

Somewhere behind him, he heard a door opening up. 

_ May you hear every song in the forest _

_ And if ever you lose your own way; _

_ Hear my voice like a breeze _

_ Whisper soft through the trees. _

_ May you stay in the arms of the angels _

_ May you grow up to stand as a woman, _

_ With the pride of your family and name. _

_ When you lay down your head _

_ For to rest in your bed, _

_ May you stay in the arms of the angels. _

The little one had dozed off to sleep. When Daniel looked behind him, he could see Daisy and Diana in the open door.   
“She’s asleep?”   
A nod. With his index finger pressed against his lips, in an attempt to keep Diana silent, Daniel left the nursery.   
“You wanted to play with Maggie?”   
Diana nodded.  
“But she is asleep now, isn’t she?”   
“Yeah, she is,” Daniel replied. “But you can watch over her if you want to?”   
“Then you can go get auntie YoYo or uncle Mack when something is up,” Daisy added. “Uncle Daniel and I have to join your mom on a mission.”   
“Can I get some candy when you get back?”   
The 4-year old Fitzsimmons kid was just like her parents: Way too smart for her age and an excellent negotiator.   
“Not too much because your mom will be mad again.”   
“Auntie Daisy, she always does that when you give me candy.”   
Daisy chuckled. Diana dropped down on their couch, while Daisy grabbed Daniel’s hand.   
“C'mon. We gotta go.” 

  
  



End file.
